Sandra Irene Schoeninger, 88, of Honey Brook, PA, passed away on Saturday July 27, 2024, at Tel Hai Retirement Community in Honey Brook.
Born in Milwaukee, WI, on March 17, 1936, Sandra was the daughter of Irvin and Doris (Purvis) Schoeninger. She grew up in Whitefish Bay, a suburb of Milwaukee, where she attended Henry Clay School through 8th grade and then Whitefish Bay High School. She excelled athletically from a very young age, playing football, baseball and golf as a young girl. She excelled in tennis in her teenage years. Sandra loved music, playing the viola in the high school orchestra and singing in school and church choirs. In her high school years, she became part of regional and national American Baptist youth fellowships.
Sandra graduated from Ottawa University in 1958 (a Baptist University in Ottawa, KS) with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. Later she obtained a master’s degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI.
Sandra began her career teaching physical education at Shawnee High School in Shawnee, KS, where she taught for several years. Then, while on a mission trip, she was encouraged by many missionaries to consider mission service. When she arrived in Japan, she received a phone call from a Japanese school asking her to teach a gym class. She declined. However, at dinner that night, when she reported the phone call to someone in her group, he said to her “Why don’t you come teach gym for me in India…” and that is how she began her 35 years of mission service teaching Physical Education and coaching many teams at Kodaikanal International School in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. She filled the position as a missionary for International Ministries of the American Baptist Church. The school and International Ministries became her home, where she developed her deepest and most enduring friendships. In her work she expanded and transformed the physical education offerings at Kodai School providing tennis, gymnastics, racquetball, golf, hiking, swimming, etc., emphasizing learning a range of sports before focusing in on one or two and learning the rules of each sport even if one was not athletically inclined. She taught children K through 12. In 2016 Sandra was given the Margaret Eddy Alumni Award for exemplary service to the school. She received her award on May 20th during the Graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2016.
Sandra retired from Kodai School in 2001 and took up residence in the Chesterbrook development in Wayne PA. She volunteered her services at the International Ministries headquarters in Valley Forge, PA, and became active in Upper Merion Baptist Church, singing in the choir, preparing refreshments, and teaching in the Sunday school.
In retirement Sandra spent her summers at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI, volunteering in many capacities, most especially managing the camp store. She was also a regular on the golf course, Lawsonia, several times a week
In 2011 Sandra moved to Tel Hai Retirement Community. In India she always hosted a Christmas tea for which she baked a variety of her favorite cookies, a tradition she continued in Chesterbrook and her Tel Hai apartment. Her cookies were also a special treat at family holiday gatherings. While residing at Tel Hai she helped teach a water aerobics class when the instructor was absent, and volunteered whenever she could with other classes. She was active in the choir, helped in the mail room, and enjoyed her friendships. She also joined the Parkesburg Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and participated in women’s circles as often as she was able.
In the summer of 2021, while at Green Lake, Sandra fell, injuring her ankle and leg and requiring surgery. Back at Tel Hai she then lived out her days in assisted living and nursing care.
In addition to her parents, Sandra was preceded in death by her younger sister Mary Lynn (Schoeninger) Parks and her sister-in-law Frances Schoeninger. She is survived by her brothers, Douglas Schoeninger and Kenneth (Lynn) Schoeninger, her nephews Kevin (Monica)Schoeninger and Chris (Vivian) Parks, and nieces Karin (Scott) Waller and Laura Parks, Kevin’s children, Gregory Schoeninger and Will Schoeninger, Karin’s children, Brandon (Catherine) Waller and Briana Waller and Briana’s children, Quincy and Daelyn.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at the Tel Hai Retirement Community Chapel Friday August 16, 2024: 10 -11 AM Visitation, 11 AM -12 noon Memorial service.
Memorial Contributions in Sandra’s name may be given to:
Kodaikanal International School through Kodai Friends International at kfi-us.org
Ottawa University at https://www.ottawa.edu/ouks-al...
Green Lake Conference Center at https://www.glcc.org/give.html
For additional information and online condolences, please visit www.thelabsfh.com